Beverage dispensing assembly

• Main Authors: RABBITT, WILLIAM E, NOTTINGHAM, JOHN R, REPLOGLE, JOHN, NOTTINGHAM, JOHN W, SPIRK, JOHN W, TAPPER, JAY, KALMAN, JEFFREY M, VITANTONIO, MARC L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.12.2011
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; LIQUID HANDLING; OPENING, CLOSING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; STORING; TRANSPORTING

BEVERAGE DISPENSING ASSEMBLY A system (510) for dispensing servings of a beverage charged with a gas, the system (510) comprising: a bottle assembly (512) including a bottle (516) and a cap assembly (518), the bottle (516) including a neck defining an outlet and containing multiple servings of a beverage, the cap assembly (518) including a cap (524) configured to attach onto the neck of the bottle (516) to close the bottle (516), a sealed pressurized gas cartridge (528) received in the cap (524), a beverage valve in the cap (524) for allowing beverage to leave the bottle (516) and a gas valve for allowing pressurized gas to enter the bottle (516); and a dispensing assembly (514), separable from the bottle assembly (512) and disposed to receive and cooperate with the bottle assembly (512) to dispense the beverage from the bottle (516), the dispensing assembly (514) including a housing that receives the bottle (516) and the cap assembly (518), a piercing pin arranged in the housing to pierce the pressurized gas cartridge (528) in the cap (524) upon insertion of the bottle assembly (512) into the housing, a spout (752) in fluid communication with the beverage valve for dispensing fluid from the bottle (516), and a pressure regulator (674) in fluid communication with the pressurized gas cartridge (528) and the gas valve, the pressure regulator (674) including a regulating valve assembly for receiving pressurized gas from the pierced gas cartridge (528) and delivering pressurized gas back through the cap (524) to the bottle (516) through the gas valve through an inlet passage spaced from an outer surface of the cap assembly (518) and the gas cartridge (528) whereby contaminants therefrom are avoided from being translated into the beverage.